Movie review: "Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky"

The awkwardly titled French film "Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky" covers a rather remarkable period in the lives of the title iconoclasts.

The awkwardly titled French film "Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky" covers a rather remarkable period in the lives of the title iconoclasts.

Igor debuts his "The Rite of Spring" to complete disdain and near riots, Coco selects the fragrance that would become Chanel No. 5 and the two engage in a rather passionless, short-lived love affair - probably complicated by the fact that his brood of kids and sick wife are living in Coco's country estate.

In following the sordid exploits of these real-life celebrities, it's sort of like the 1920s version of Us Weekly.

Perhaps the film's biggest weakness is its inability to turn the notoriously harsh Coco into a relatable person. Anna Mouglalis plays her with a beautiful stiffness, casually telling Igor's wife that she's not ashamed about the affair.

Igor (Mads Mikkelsen from "Casino Royale") is even more brazen. When the wife and kids want to move out, Igor sends them on their way while choosing to stay with Coco.

The film, which opens on Igor's infamous debut, shows early signs of promise, but the tedium of watching two unlikable characters flaunt their affair eventually overpowers the narrative.